Letter from the Home Office, Aliens Department, 30 August 1939 (FO 371/24085)
HOME OFFICE (Aliens Department),
CLELAND HOUSE,
PAGE STREET
LONDON, S.W.1.
30th August, 1939.
Dear Reilly,
I confirm the talk I had with you over the telephone this afternoon to the effect that Sir Charles Stead, the Director of the Movement for the Care of Children from
Germany, has informed us that his Committee is no longer prepared to accept responsibility for refugee children sent from Germany and has, I understand, already informed their agencies in greater Germany to this effect. Stead has today heard that the Gestapo have nevertheless obtained possession of approximately 80 of the white permit cards for child refugees and are sending a party today across the Dutch frontier en route to England, and he would be greatly obliged if steps could be taken to inform the Dutch Government that these children would not be admitted to the United Kingdom at the present time and presume that in these circumstances the Dutch Government will refuse to allow the children to enter their territory. Stead has informed us further that there are about 300 to 400 more cards still in Berlin in addition to those which the Gestapo have seized.
Yours sincerely
E. N. Cooper
D. P. Reilly, Esq.